New year, new schedule, new lunch blocks. Same old faces, same familiar hallways—except now, the senior chairs have shifted. Every year, we take our three month long recess: to decompress, shed our old skin, and wake up a little taller. We come back in the fall well-rested and ready for a fresh start. But this year, that fresh start brings expected changes that no one is quite ready to accept. Even before the start of the school year, students have been complaining about new policies before they’ve even experienced them.
At its core, Parker is a progressive school rooted in tradition. It’s written into our mission, signed by every student at the start of the year, and it’s a value we pride ourselves on. Yet, true progress demands change—evolving to meet the needs of our students and the world around us. Change isn’t just necessary. It’s a natural part of growth. If we are to live up to our progressive mission, we have to embrace the changes that challenge us, even when they disrupt the comfort of routine. Tradition holds value, but clinging to it at the expense of forward-thinking goes against everything we stand for. In a world that changes rapidly, Parker must evolve to truly prepare us for the realities beyond its walls.
And yet, despite our progressive identity, we still hold on to certain traditions—like the 12 Days Morning Exercise, where we gather to sing a Christmas carol. It’s an unusual ritual for a non-parochial school, one that feels out of place given our diverse community and secular values. But we do it, year after year, not because it aligns with who we are now, but because it’s simply tradition. There’s comfort in the familiarity, in doing something just because it’s always been done. But at what point does tradition become more of a habit than a meaningful practice? If we’re truly committed to progress, shouldn’t we be reexamining even our most beloved routines?
The most glaring example of our resistance to change is the uproar over the new schedule. Before anyone even had a chance to experience it, complaints were already flying. It’s easy to push back on something unfamiliar, but how can we criticize what we haven’t tried? The reality is, no one knows how this schedule will affect Parker students until we live it. Change is uncomfortable, sure, but it’s also inevitable– and often necessary for growth. Give change a chance before dismissing it. If we truly want to be a school that champions progress, we can’t be afraid of the very thing that makes progress possible.
